He graduated from St David’s University College, Lampeter in 1991 with a degree in Classical Studies and after maturing discovered his genuine fascination for History.

He spent the best part of a decade working in Marketing for a (London) City firm, where he met his wife, Giselle Sellier (Book cover design and illustrator). In 2004 they fulfilled a dream in part due to necessity and also being influenced by ‘life is greener on the other side’ syndrome, courtesy of British TV programming at the time and moved to France in 2004.

They discovered Saint-Omer by chance in 2006 and moved there. Surprised at the many British links that the town possesses with British history research on the book started in 2008. Aside researching his next project Richard is gainfully occupied as an English Language teacher in the Nord Pas de Calais.

This is his new book:
The history of this fascinating town is a complex one. This new publication takes you back through time to the indigenous Morini tribe, the Flemish Dukes, the House of Burgundy, the Spanish and finally to the French, as recently as 1677.

The story continues unveiling along the way many British or Commonwealth characters, some famous, others not so, who are intertwined within this rich historical fabric with the likes of Saint Thomas Becket, the English Jesuits, the Napoleonic Army of England and WW2 flying ace, Douglas Bader.

In recent times the town was the administrative hub of the British army during the initial years of WW1 and was the place that heralded the creation of the Royal Air Force. Passing through the Nazi occupation and the threats presented to Britain by the Blockhaus d’Eperlecques and La Coupole we arrive at the 21st Century where this British connection continues to weave most notably with the First World War veteran Henry Allingham.

Images include photos of the town by Jonathan Caton, pictures from The National Portrait Gallery London, The Imperial War Museum London, Her Majesty’s Collection, The Yale Centre for British Art, Hôtel de Musèe Sandelin, La Bibliothèque de Saint-Omer, La Coupole, La Bibliothèque Nationale de France and many others.

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About mallerstang

Member of the Guild of One Name Studies researching the name CUMPSTON and its variants. You can see my website at www.cumpston.org.uk
I have a new study of the name LAXEN with its own blog at https://laxenresearch.wordpress.com/ and a further research blog which is not registered as a one name study of KNAGGS of Flamborough https://knaggsresearch.wordpress.com/

Dear Paul
Many thanks for responding to my blog item. I would like to make contact with Richard if possible to discuss the history of his family and how he got his middle name. Does he still live in St Omer?